This week was my first week substituting in Idaho Falls (Rexburg hasn't been at all fruitful for jobs). On Wednesday I was in the 3rd grade. All my teaching experience has been in grades K-3, so I knew what to expect of this 3rd grade. I had a blast. The class slugs laid eggs, I read "The Paper Bag Princess" to the class sitting criss-cross-applesauce on the carpet, and at the end of our day together there were many loving comments like: "No Mrs. Todd please don't go!" and "I wish you were my teacher!". I've always loved the young'uns!
Today I was in the 7th grade. I was a little nervous, but I thought Hey I babysit kids this age all the time! No big deal! Oh contraire...The day started off great. The kids were respectful and excited to have a sub. That was the first 3 periods. After lunch...all hell broke loose. Each consecutive period for the next 3 hours got noisier and more and more disrespectful. YIKES! Ok I may be exaggerating a bit cuz I'm tired and my feet hurt, but the basic sentiment holds. They were no 3rd graders! And let me tell you that I really hate to bring out Mrs. Todd the Hag, but every so often it must be done! I finally broke down and rose my voice- "If you're talking, you need to stop. If you have a question, raise your hand. That's it!" Then commenced the whispers just loud enough for me to hear all around the room "Geez, settle down!" "Wow she's mean". Darn. I did it.
Now before you think I'm an unfit teacher, let me tell you that by the end of the period they all liked me again and everything was fine. I helped them with their work, said nice things, etc etc and everyone was fine. There were in fact some "Thanks Mrs. Todd"s heard as they left the room at the end of the day.
The good news after a long day in the 7th grade-besides the paycheck-is that I intercepted a note! Oh yes. One of those-quick pass it before she sees even though she's looking right at us-type of notes. And if there were no confidentiality laws to my job, I would share..cuz it was a good one!
Gotta love pre-teen hormones.
5 comments:
Wait, so this isn't really the note then? Is this one that you wrote when you were in 7th grade?;)
My theory as to why they are all worse after lunch is that they are hopped up on all the terrible processed and sugary food they were eating.
Props to you, 7th graders scare me.
I bet you're an awesome teacher. The class I taught in San Diego while we were in between BYU and med school as a 6/7 grade class. Its a pretty intense age. Of course, our kids were on a different level, and they would oft run out of class and try to climb on top of the school.
The best way I found to get them to focus was that if they could stay on task for 30 minutes straight, we could go play "butts up". For anyone who does not know what this is, "butts up" is where you play hand-ball, and whoever drops the ball has to stand up against the wall while everyone else has a turn to throw the ball at you. Let me tell you, the thought of being allowed to hurl a ball at me as hard as they could really got them to do their work!
Ha, Mrs. Todd. Since when are you old enough to be called Mrs. Todd by a bunch of 7th graders? Weird. Way to go being a nasty old hag though, next time you should strike them.
Anyone who teaches (or subs, for that matter) in middle school should receive hazard pay. I mean it! I have subbed in middle school (not teaching, interpreting for a deaf student) and it was NOT fun. The dear little student kept trying to lose me in the hallways. Of course, its not fun to have to be shadowed by a middle-aged woman.
I felt very sorry for the regular teachers and what they have to put up with on a daily basis. But you could also see which teachers were in control, and which were not. I don't think there is anything wrong with being mean, at least at first, so they know they can't control you and that you are on top of things. All kids will try to get a rise out of a sub. Don't let it happen by being strong right from the start.
Good luck and have FUN!
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